German Potato Bread (Kartoffelbrot)

German Potato Bread- Kartoffelbrot

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Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Yield: 1 loaf

German potato bread, or kartoffelbrot, is made by combining equal parts of mashed potatoes and bread flour. To the uninitiated this might seem an unusual combination, but this mixture yields a soft and springy loaf that you will love to eat. With two, 30-minute rises, it is also one of the quicker homemade breads. It is easiest to make with a stand mixer, but you can knead the potatoes in by hand, if necessary.

Springy, moist and crunchy on the outside, potato bread goes well with hearty soups, bratwurst or with butter and jam.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium (400 grams) potatoes, russets or mehlig-kochende

  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) water, from the potatoes

  • 2 teaspoons oil

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (can be instant yeast or not)

  • 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) bread flour, plus more for kneading

  • 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

  • Cornmeal, for dusting

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Peel potatoes and cut into 6 pieces each. Cook in unsalted water until tender. Drain, reserving the water. Place the potatoes back over low heat for several minutes, shaking the pan to steam dry, or ausdampfen. Cool and mash or rice the potatoes.

  3. Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of lukewarm potato water and proof for 10 minutes in a warm spot, or until bubbles form.

  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine mashed or riced potatoes, oil, and proofed yeast until smooth. Add the flour and salt and mix with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes on low. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 11 minutes. It will look like it is not going to become bread dough at first; just be patient.

  5. Knead for a minute on a floured work surface, until dough is smooth and just slightly tacky. Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

  6. Heat oven to 450 F with a baking stone on the middle rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking. Place an old baking pan on the bottom rack, ready for water to create steam.

  7. Shape dough into a boule, or round loaf, by flattening slightly, then pulling the edges together and pinching closed. Place the loaf, seam-side down, on a floured, cloth-lined bowl. Fold the edges of the cloth over the loaf and let rise for 20 to 30 more minutes.

  8. Unmold the bread onto a peel or the back of a cookie sheet dusted with cornmeal, seam-side up (seam-side down produces a smooth-topped loaf). Shove the loaf onto the baking stone in the oven and close the door, quickly.

  9. Bake for a total of 45 to 50 minutes, or until internal temperature is 190 F. Use steam in the first 5 minutes. Cool bread for 20 minutes or more before slicing. 

  10. Enjoy!

How to Create a Hard Crust With Steam

Those hard crusts you love are created with steam. You may create steam in the oven for the first 5 minutes. Heat an old roasting pan on the rack below the baking stone and pour 2 cups of boiling water in it right after you put the bread in the oven. Alternatively, spray the sides of the oven with a squirt bottle filled with water 2 or 3 times in the first 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 400 F and bake for 30 minutes or more, until the internal temperature reaches 190 F.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138 Calories
1g Fat
27g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 181mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 3mg 16%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 214mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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